Here we turn to the Noam Elimelech and the Sefat Emet. The Sefat Emet teaches that Judah represents weekday service, while Joseph represents Shabbat service. Joseph embodies the pleasure of Shabbat (Oneg Shabbat), whereas Judah represents service through toil and effort, the labor of the weekdays. Loving-kindness is just below wisdom, and the work of the weekdays represents the first or initial refinement (Judah) we reviewed in connection with wisdom, while the spiritual work we do on Shabbat represents a second, higher refinement (Joseph). The first day of the week—Judah’s toil and effort—is associated with the sefirah of loving-kindness.
To complete our placement of this interpretation in the sefirah of loving-kindness, we add the insight of the Noam Elimelech that the difference between the weekdays and Shabbat is that Shabbat is Divine service entirely driven by love. He further explains that the essence of weekday awe (if Shabbat is love then the weekdays are awe) should emerge from love. This is the deeper meaning of “Judah approached him.” Judah’s toil during the weekdays, rooted in awe, is elevated and transformed when infused with love, creating a unified Divine service.
